Scientists have identified a star designated S301 that holds the distinction of being the fastest known star within the Milky Way galaxy. The star travels at velocities around 25,000 kilometers per second as it orbits Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole located at the galactic center. This velocity is approximately 100,000 times faster than a commercial aircraft.
The star’s most significant characteristic is its extraordinarily close proximity to the black hole. S301 completes a full orbit around Sagittarius A* in just 8.7 years while maintaining a distance equivalent to roughly 12 times the Earth-Sun distance. This combination of extreme speed and close approach makes S301 unprecedented among known stellar objects. The discovery was made using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, which combines observations from four 8-meter telescopes.
The unique orbital characteristics of S301 present an opportunity to test fundamental physics theories. According to Einstein’s general theory of relativity, spinning black holes warp the spacetime around them, affecting the orbits of nearby objects. Researchers believe that by tracking S301’s motion, particularly through its next closest approach in 2031, they may be able to directly measure the spin of Sagittarius A* within approximately 10 years. Prior approaches would have required monitoring multiple stars over several decades to achieve similar measurements.
Scientists emphasize that despite its proximity to the black hole, S301 will not be consumed by it. The star maintains a stable orbit that will not cross the event horizon, the boundary beyond which escape becomes impossible. The measurement of the black hole’s spin through this star’s orbital dynamics would represent a significant advancement in validating Einstein’s theory and could provide crucial insights into the Milky Way’s evolution and formation.
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